Closure for a container



April 15, 1969 HENDRICKSONV ET AL 3,438,537

CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER Sheet of 5 Filed Feb. 12, 1968 IN RICHAKU E HEA/(El BY RODERICK KING- April 15, 1969 R. F. HENDRlCKSON ET AL CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER Sheet 2 of 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1968 FIG.4

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INVENTOR. Rmn/uw E llavvlcxsou 'BY KWEKK K KIN mz/WM United States Patent 3,438,537 CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER Richard F. Hendrickson, Erie, and Roderick V. King, Girard, Pa., assignors to Sterling Seal Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 704,885 Int. Cl. B65d 41/18, 41/62, 51/18 U.S. Cl. 220-27 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This cap would normally be attached to the outer rim of the mounting cup of an aerosol container. However, it could also be attached to the breast rim or the outer seamed bead of the can. The cap could be attached to the mounting cup by a small ridge or a number of small lugs extending inward from the inner rim in its lower area. The cap could have a straight wall to form a friction fit on the mounting cup. The fit could be a venting or ventilating design or a seal, whichever is needed.

The outer skirt or wall of the cap can be of sufiicient length to extend down into the groove of the container between the breast rim and seamed outer bead of the container. It can also be constructed to extend over the outer side of the rim of the container.

The closures outer rim and skirt may be formed in conjunction with the inner portion when the inner portion is formed in combination with an aerosol valve button to facilitate an orienting and directional system from the basic closure design. One method to accomplish this would be to form the inner portion as a complete overcap to enclose the valve button and then a means to remove this overcap completely or partly for access to the valve button, then forming the outer portion in relation with the inner portion enabling the spray product to be used in a directional manner.

STACKING The basic shape of the cap disclosed lends itself to a nesting or stacking quality. The stacking quality has an improved feature because of the rim or number of lugs or protrusions in or on any of the angled surfaces that are capable of forming a stop so as to keep the closures when stacked, one inside the other, from wedging together.

T AM PER-PROOFING A quality which can be incorporated into the basic design disclosed herein by forming in a manner to make it possible to apply the closure to the container in such a manner that it will be permanently attached to the container and it is necessary to destroy a portion of the closure in order to remove it from the container. This can be done by reducing the inside rim strength with an undercut or a number of holes or cuts to cause the outer portion to break off leaving the center portion intact. The center portion can then be removed more readily and can be a reuseable closure. The inner closure can be formed in a shape to lift off the container and still be able to remove the contents of the container.

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DIRECTIONAL-ORIENTING Another form of cap would have its outside skirt and outer rim provided with two high sides and two low sides.

In another form of the cap, the upper portion of the center part would be provided with a thin bead extending upwardly. The center part of the cap would be undercut at its lower portion. This bead would then be removable when held between the fingers and twisted to break off the upper portion of the center part exposing the valve. The outside skirt could be made lower on both sides allowing the use of the valve.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved cap for an aerosol can.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap for a container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap having specific design suitable for stacking and nesting.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cap for 'aerosol containers that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and simple and eflicient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination aerosol cap and can.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectional view of the cap and can combination according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG, 1 of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in cross section of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view partly in cross section of an aerosol cap showing the nesting feature thereof;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 each shows views of other embodiments of the invention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawings, in FIG. 1 cap 10 is shown in combination with a can 11 showing partially for purposes of illustration only. The cap has an outer cylindrical side wall 13 terminating at its lower open end in a rim 12 and closed at its end opposite the rim by an annular top 14 that is integrally connected to the cylindrical side at 21 and integrally connected to the intermediate wall 15 at 22, The intermediate wall 15 is generally concentric to the inner wall 16 and is integrally connected to the inner wall 16 by means of a bottom 18 that forms a bottom of the groove 17 defined between the intermediate wall 15 and the inner wall 16. The intermediate wall may have a bead 19 or lip that may be in the form of spaced dents or in the form of a continuous annular bead which is made to be disposed in a groove 23 in the can.

The can 11 has breast 20 of a type that will be familiar to those skilled in the art that terminates at its lower outer edge in an annular groove 24 in which the rim 12 may rest. The breast 20 terminates at its upper end in a roll 25. It may have the mounting cup for the can indicated at 26 rolled over the rim 25 in a conventional manner. A valve 27 will be supported in the center of the valve mounting cup, likewise in a conventional manner. Thus, the cap 10 may be supported on the can 11 by means of the head 19 as shown or the outer rim could snap into the groove 23 and frictionally engage the walls of the groove around the outer periphery of the breast rim at 20' or around its inner periphery of the can rim at 20 either being within the scope of those skilled in the art. The rim of the cap could engage the can in the manner shown in Patents Nos. 2,973,114, 3,022,922, 3,032,234 and 3,136,453. The cap could have lugs on its inside periphery.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the cap 110 is shown supported on the can 111. The cap has the outer cylindrical wall 113 closed at its top at 114 and having the cylindrical intermediate wall 115 disposed between the outer wall 113 and the inner wall 116. The walls 115 and 116 define an annular groove 117 closed at its bottom by the end 118. The outer cylindrical wall 113 and the intermediate wall 115 are integrally connected by the annular top 114. The inner wall 116 has the center top 120 integrally attached to it between the inner wall 216 and the cylindrical wall 215. The pockets each have a bottom 218 therein and may have a number of small lugs, protrusions or dents 219 formed around the inside periphery of the inner end of the inner wall 216. The lower rim 212 is flared outwardly and downwardly to frictionally engage the outer edge of an aerosol can. The lugs, dents or protrusions 219 may snap under a rim such as shown on the aerosol can in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a cap is shown having an outer cylindrical wall 213 closed at one end by an end member 214. The cap has the spaced pockets 217 which may be considered to form spaced grooves between an inner wall 216 and an intermediate wall 215 on each of the pockets. The intermediate wall 215 is disposed outward of the inner wall 216 and between the inner wall 216 and the cylindrical wall 215. The pockets each have a bottom 218 therein and may have a number of small lugs, protrusions or dents 219 are formed around the inside periphery of the inner end of the inner wall 216. The lower rim 212 is flared outwardly and downwardly to frictionally engage the outer edge of an aerosol can. The lugs, dents or protrusions 219 may snap under a rim such as shown on the aerosol can in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the cap has an outer wall 313 and an intermediate wall 315 and an inner wall 316, which may be concentric to each other or may be in other similar shape. The inner wall and intermediate wall are closed by a bottom 318 and an annular bead 319 is formed on the inner wall which may snap under the rim of the upper end of the breast of an aerosol can. The closed end 329 is disposed generally co-planar with the end 314 and a groove 330 is formed around the inner edge of the upper end of the wall 318 so that the disklike closure 313 may snap into the groove 330 and form a closure for the end of the cap thus forming an improved stacking surface and also for purposes of adding advertising material or the like.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the cap shown has an outer wall 413, an intermediate wall 415 and an inner wall 416. The inner wall 416 and the intermediate wall 415 are formed by the material thereof turned back on itself at 418 and this material may snap under the inside surface formed at 425 at the upper end of the breast 420 of the aerosol can.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 7, the cap is shown having an outer wall 613, an inner wall 616 and an intermediate wall 615. The inner wall 616 and the intermediate wall 615 are joined integrally at 618 and a weakened annular area 619 is formed wherein the inner wall 616 may be broken away from the intermediate wall 615 thereby exposing a valve 627 of an aerosol can. Since the center portion 616 will be broken away when the can is used, the can is tamperproof once the portion including wall 616 is removed and it cannot be replaced.

The lower end of the outer wall 613 at rim 612 has a rim 612' which may snap under a mating rim on an aerosol can and thereby render the cap irremovable.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8 has an outer cylindrical wall 713, an intermediate wall 715 and an inner wall 716 and defining a groove 717. The intermediate wall 715 and the inner wall 716 are integrally connected together at 718 and a lip 719 is formed on the inner wall which may snap under an appropriate part of an aerosol can such as shown in FIG. 2. The outer wall 713 and intermediate wall 715 are integrally connected together at 714 as shown and the inner wall 716 has a closed end 729. The wall 713 is curled at 712.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, the cap has an outer wall 813, an inner wall 816 and an intermediate wall 815. The inner wall 816 has a closure 829 and a grove 817 open at its outer end defined between the annular walls 815 and 816. The cap may be weakened at the juncture of the walls 815 and 816 so that they may be separated from each other as shown in FIG. 9 to render the cap tamperproof thus the figure shows the two walls actually separated from each other but in practice they would be weakened as shown at 619 in FIG. 7.

The outer portion of the closure is broken off and discarded leaving the inner portion as the sole protector. This inner portion could have a pre-cut or formed area to accept an aerosol valve button of an appropriate size and shape, enabling the two parts to be a working combination with an end result being an oriented directional closure.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the rim 912 has a rim 912' formed in it of material of generally uniform thickness. The side 913 of the cap is similar to that shown in FIG. 7.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10, the cap shown has an outer cylindrical wall 1013, an inner generally cylindrical wall 1016 and an intermediate generally cylindrical wall 1015. The outer wall 1013 is attached to the intermediate wall 1015 by an annular member 1014 and a groove 1017 is defined between the walls 1016 and the wall 1015 at the end 1029, as shown.

The rim 1012 may snap around the outer periphery of an aerosol can such as the can shown partially in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be understood that the outer skirt of the rims 12 of all of these cans can be rolled outwardly or inwardly and have suitable dents formed therein or could be threaded or otherwise formed to suitably engage the type of aerosol can that is to be fitted with the cap.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cap for a can comprising:

a cuplike body having an outer generally cylindrical wall terminating in a rim defining an opening adapted to receive an aerosol can,

an intermediate wall and an inner wall,

said inner wall being disposed inward of said outer wall,

said intermediate wall being disposed between said cylindrical wall and said inner wall,

means connecting said intermediate wall to said inner wall at the end thereof adacent said rim,

and means spaced from said rim and from said means connecting said intermediate wall to said inner wall rigidly connecting said cylindrical wall to said intermediate wall,

and a closure integrally attached to said inner wall remote from said opening.

2. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said intermediate wall to said cylindrical wall is an integral connection.

3. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein:

said inner wall and said intermediate wall define indentations in the top of said cap,

said inner wall and said intermediate wall comprises spaced portions defining an annular member.

4. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein:

the material of said cap is weakened where said inner wall and said intermediate wall are joined together whereby said intermediate wall and said inner wall may be separated from each other rendering said cap tamperproof.

5. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein protrusions are formed on said inner wall adjacent the open end thereof,

said protrusions being adapted to underlie a part of an aerosol can.

6. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein a head is formed on said intermediate wall adjacent the end remote from said outer wall,

said bead being adapted to underlie a part of an aerosol can.

7. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said rim has means thereon adapted to engage the breast of an aerosol can.

8. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said rim has means thereon adapted to frictionally engage an aerosol can.

9. The cap recited in claim 1 in combination with an aerosol can:

said cap having an inwardly extending member on the end of said inner wall adjacent said intermediate wall,

said inwardly extending member engaging said can around the cover thereof holding said cap in place thereon.

10. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said intermediate wall and said inner wall comprises a groove bottom integrally attached between said intermediate wall and said inner wall:

said groove bottom being adapted to rest against the top of an aerosol can.

11. The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said means connecting said cylindrical wall to said intermediate wall comprises an annular top integrally con nected to said intermediate wall around its inner edge.

12. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein an inwardly facing groove is formed on said intermediate wall and a disklike closure having its outer peripheral edge disposed into said groove.

13. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said means attaching said intermediate wall to said inner wall comprises a member extending outwardly, then having a bead thereon:

said member then extending upwardly, then outwardly,

then downwardly defining a groove adapted to receive a roll or the like of an aerosol can,

said member then extending outwardly and being integrally attached to said intermediate wall.

14. The cap recited in claim 9 wherein said intermediate wall and said outer wall are lower at one position than said inner wall whereby a directional nozzle on said aerosol can may dispense material through said lower portion of said outer Wall and said intermediate wall.

15. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said outer :wall, said intermediate wall and said inner wall are disposed relative to each other in a manner to provide for stacking and nesting of said cap with other like caps.

16. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said intermediate wall and said inner wall terminate approximately half-way between the ends of said outer wall.

17. The cap recited in claim 4 wherein material of said cap is weakened by scoring said material whereby said inner wall may be separated from said intermediate Wall.

18. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said top is integrally attached to said inner end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 220; 222182 

